Adapted from the seinen manga by Jun Mayuzuki After the Rain Koi wa Ameagari no You ni is a tenderhearted romance about a bold high school sophomore Akira Tachibana who develops strong feelings for the charming middleaged manager Masami Kondou at the restaurant where she works. A story that shouldve induced endless cringe was somehow realized into an uplifting slice of life. It certainly helps that Kondou colorfully performed by the resonant Hiroaki Hirata isnt the one doing the pursuing. When Tachibanas feelings for him become evident he reacts responsibly. Hes fully aware of the ramifications of dating a teenager at his age and is understandably resistant to the idea. 800https://i.ur.com/3sCB7zB.png Tachibana voiced with a quiet sharpness by Sayumi Watabe is surprisingly insistent when it comes to what she wants though guarded enough to not share everything about herself. Her apparent coldness frustrates Haruka Kyan an old track partner who longs to rekindle the close camaraderie that they once had. Tachibana who wasand still isan exceptional runner opts out of competition due to an injury and seems quite content with spending the bulk of her social time pursuing Kondou. She distances herself from Kyan perhaps because theyve grown apart or because Kyan brings back memories that she wants to forget. Initially I didnt quite understand why Tachibana would be attracted to someone as old as Kondou. It wasnt until around the fifth episode when we get a glimpse of Kondous personal life that it started to make sense to me. Outside of work Kondou lives a modest life as a bibliophile and single father. Hes a caring parent to his young son Yuuto and maintains a comfortable home when the two of them are together. Tachibana likely sensed this kindness from her time with him and thus sought him as a refuge after losing motivation for most everything else. Director Ayumu Watanabe who also helmed the anime classic Space Brothers brings an understated sophistication to the performances and atmosphere. After the Rain doesnt fear placidity. Scenes often break from the commotion to dwell with the surroundings which are typically dressed with a relaxing ambience and rain covered petals. 800https://i.ur.com/p9xAPZR.png The biggest negative for me was Ryousuke Kase a character who appears in the fourth episode. In total contrast with Kondou Kase has a lustful and selfserving interest in teenage girls. With near supernatural ability he finds a way to interject himself into Tachibanas life and even gain leverage over her. Thankfully the adapters realized that this character was about to break everything with contrived drama and they quickly pushed him to the side we dont see much of him thereafter. There was a moderate amount of what some academics have snidely deemed as male gaze where the imagery is seemingly framed from a straightmale perspective. In the case of this anime the camera occasionally gives the viewer an alluring closeup of Tachibanas modelesque demeanor. Seeing as this is a seinen targeted to teen and adult malesor anyone who appreciates a nice storysome light fanservice should be expected. Personally I felt that these visuals aptly supplemented the sexual undertones of the material. 800https://i.ur.com/u00BXDF.png Animated with dazzling finesse by Wit Studio After the Rain is a portrait of two people initially separated by a generation who are drawn together by intersecting circumstances. The overall emphasis for better or worse is more on the everyday character situations than on the romance. Ultimately the story is an exploration of the efforts that we take to reconcile the loss of the things that we cherishwhether its an old friend or the dreams that we strive for. If youre looking for something sweet and innocuous with a dash of poetry you may find satisfaction with After the Rain.